1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for forming and exploiting gradients at the interfaces between components of a composite material, as well as to the composite material itself, and devices which incorporate the material. In particular, the invention relates to a method for forming and exploiting magnetic gradients at the interfaces between components of a magnetic composite material and the magnetic composite material itself as well as devices which incorporate the composite material such as electrochemical systems and separators including fuel cells, batteries, and separations resulting in enhanced and modified flux and performance in those systems. The invention further relates to compositions, apparatus, methods of making, and methods of using magnetic composite materials in electrolytic applications, including fuel cells. In particular, the invention relates to compositions, apparatus, methods of making, and methods of using magnetic composite materials in electrolytic applications to prevent electrode passivation, particularly in fuel cell applications for the direct reformation of fuels; and to apparatus and methods for modifying the outcome of electrolyses involving free radical products and intermediates.
As used herein, the term "fuel" includes mixtures of one or more fuels, either liquid or gaseous, with other fuel or non-fuel components, including fuel mixtures of one or more fuels with air. As used herein, the term "fuel mixture" refers to a mixture of a fuel with one or more different fuel, or non-fuel, components.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the detailed description of preferred embodiments, it will be shown that interfacial gradients in properly prepared composite materials can be exploited to enhance flux in many types of electrochemical systems such as fuel cells, batteries, membrane sensors, filters and flux switches. Such interfacial gradients may also be exploited in separators involving chromatographic separations and nonelectrochemical separations including, but not limited to, separations of light and heavy transition metals and transition metal complexes. The heavy transition metals include the lanthanides and the actinides which have atomic numbers 58-71 and 90-103, respectively. First, however, the following discussion provides a brief overview of the current understanding of magnetic properties in composites. In particular, the discussion below summarizes the thermodynamic, kinetic and mass transport properties of bulk magnetic materials. These bulk properties of molecules in magnetic fields are fairly well understood.